I heard it said once, at a funeral, that one of the best blessings in the world is to have known someone who it is really hard to say goodbye to.  Well, by the same token, another grand blessing is to live in an area that you are excited to say "hello" to, a place... Continue Reading →

The sun is steadily climbing as we head into Tucson this Monday morning. We left Union Station in Los Angeles on time last night, around 10:00 pm, and miraculously we have stayed on schedule as we head back to Houston. Got up early (did I go to sleep?). Fawn slept in after a restless night... Continue Reading →

For a baby that's just 75 days old, this little boy has packed quite a lot into his life already! A rocky start: open-heart surgery, countless doctor visits, dozens of needles, probes, monitors, and still a few more hills to climb before he's completely out of the woods... But just look at him! In my... Continue Reading →

We made it to Los Angeles! In spite of Amtrak's continued insistence throughout the trip that we would arrive on time, or maybe even a little early, we were about two hours late rolling in to L.A.'s Union Station. After two nights in the sleeper car bunk that was as wide as a coffin, the... Continue Reading →

We're somewhere east of Tucson, Arizona as I write this, chasing the sunset. I don't think we're going to catch it! There's just a small trace of illumination on the craggy hills and jagged ravines that are passing outside my window. In the light that remains, my eyes make out the definite, lonely outline of... Continue Reading →

  We are just west of Spofford, Texas as I write this on Thursday morning. I’m watching the endless landscape of mesquite trees, sage and ocotillo cactus roll by my window. Everything is abnormally green here, from all the rains they’ve had this spring. If you don’t know where Spofford is, it’s just east of... Continue Reading →

I've always had a fascination with trains.  I've been known to speed up to a train crossing if I know a train is approaching, just so I can be first in line at the crossing arms.  Once I'm there, I roll down every window, turn off the radio, and just wait to hear and feel... Continue Reading →